Kingdom of the Blind: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (Hardcover)

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December 2018 Indie Next List

“Inspector Gamache has puzzled his way through 13 of Louise Penny’s mysteries, and his 14th is an exceptional read. Penny brings us a mystery that will delight old-school mystery lovers (a storm, the reading of a will) as well as those who enjoy a fast-paced thriller (Gamache’s plans involving the opioids he lost). The pacing is swift and the cast of characters from Three Pines is as charming and wonderful as always. The Kingdom of the Blind is easily one of the best of the series. Thank you, Louise Penny, for reminding us that kindness does exist in this mostly cruel world and that when utilized correctly, it can be inspiring and life-changing.”
— William Carl, Wellesley Books, Wellesley, MA

Description

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA December 2018 Indie Next Pick One of Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2018 PicksBookPage Best of the Year 2018 A LibraryReads Pick for November 2018 A LibraryReads Hall of Fame Winner Washington Post's 10 Books to Read This NovemberOne of PopSugar’s Best Fall Books to Curl Up With

“A captivating, wintry whodunit.” —PEOPLE

"A constantly surprising series that deepens and darkens as it evolves." —Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

“A spellbinder . . . another outstanding Gamache adventure… ingenious . . . what more could a mystery reader – or any reader for that matter – want?”—Maureen Corrigan, Washington PostThe new Chief Inspector Gamache novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

When a peculiar letter arrives inviting Armand Gamache to an abandoned farmhouse, the former head of the Sûreté du Québec discovers that a complete stranger has named him one of the executors of her will. Still on suspension, and frankly curious, Gamache accepts and soon learns that the other two executors are Myrna Landers, the bookseller from Three Pines, and a young builder.

None of them had ever met the elderly woman.

The will is so odd and includes bequests that are so wildly unlikely that Gamache and the others suspect the woman must have been delusional. But what if, Gamache begins to ask himself, she was perfectly sane?

When a body is found, the terms of the bizarre will suddenly seem less peculiar and far more menacing.

But it isn’t the only menace Gamache is facing.

The investigation into what happened six months ago—the events that led to his suspension—has dragged on, into the dead of winter. And while most of the opioids he allowed to slip through his hands, in order to bring down the cartels, have been retrieved, there is one devastating exception.

Enough narcotic to kill thousands has disappeared into inner city Montreal. With the deadly drug about to hit the streets, Gamache races for answers.

As he uses increasingly audacious, even desperate, measures to retrieve the drug, Armand Gamache begins to see his own blind spots. And the terrible things hiding there.

About the Author

LOUISE PENNY is the author of the #1 New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling series of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has won numerous awards, including a CWA Dagger and the Agatha Award (six times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise lives in a small village south of Montréal.

Praise For…

One of Publishers Weekly Booksellers' Favorite 25 Titles of the Year in 2018

“Penny pulls together an insightful plot that weaves in family feuds, clandestine investigations, undercover cops and a loving look at Three Pines.” —Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun Sentinel

“Louise Penny’s novels are unique for how seamlessly they straddle the line between charmingly small-town mysteries and big-city police procedurals . . . It’s not to be missed!” —BookPage (Top Pick)

“It’s hard to see how Louise Penny can raise the stakes any further for her iconic, fatherly good guy, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, but somehow in each book she does.” —News & Observer

“Brain-teasing puzzles, life-and-death stakes and lots of Three Pines, a magical place where the warmth in the villagers’ hearts thaws the ice on their eyelashes.”—St. Louis Post Dispatch

“Complex ongoing saga… Wait anxiously for the next installment.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Penny does a splendid job of interweaving those three main plot lines, studding them with several life-threatening scenes that had me holding my breath, and building to a wild finale.”—Tampa Bay Tribune

“Few mystery writers intertwine the personal lives of their characters with the crimes being investigated more skillfully than Penny does, and she is at her best here, as several key players face turning points in their lives, suggesting that if the past can strangle the present, it can also help clear the way for the future.”—Booklist (Starred Review)

“Penny is a master at blending the modern evils affecting the big city and hidden secrets of the almost mythical village of Three Pines. Well-known characters return and new faces add richness to a narrative that will keep readers intrigued until the last page.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Insightful, well-plotted… Penny offers intriguing commentary on the willful blindness that can keep people from acknowledging the secrets and lies in their own lives. Penny wraps up some continuing story lines and sends recurring characters in surprising directions.” —Publishers Weekly

“Penny reveals a deeper vulnerability in the introspective Gamache… The ending is adrenaline-filled....This starts as a small-town mystery and becomes something grander.” —Kirkus Reviews

"I thoroughly enjoyed Kingdom of the Blind. It’s always a treat to spend a few days with Armand Gamache and his latest investigation is one of my favorites." —James Patterson